he
volume of essays _Sidelights on New London and Newer York_ which
followed his second visit he showed a much greater understanding than
in _What I Saw in America_. His first visit took place in 1921-22,
his second in 1930.

On the first trip Frances kept clippings of almost all their
interviews. Gilbert himself said that, while the headlines in
American newspapers became obscure in their violent efforts to
startle, what was written underneath the headlines was usually good
journalism and the press cuttings of this tour bear out his remark.
Interviewers report accurately and with a good deal of humour.
Sketches of G.K.'s personal appearance abound, and if occasionally
they contradict one another in detail they yet contrive to convey a
vivid and fairly truthful impression of the "leonine" head, the bulky
form, the gestures and mannerisms. That a man of letters and lecturer
should choose to wear proudly not one of these titles but that of
journalist, was pleasing and flattering to the brotherhood. The
atmosphere of the tour is best conveyed by rather copious quotation.
A crowd of journalists met him at the boat. One of them writes of

. . . his voluminous figure, quite imposing when he stands up,
though not so abundantly Johnsonian as his pictures lead one to
expect. He has cascades of grey hair above a pinkly beaming face, a
rather straggly blond mustache, and eyes that seem frequently to be
taking up infinity in a serious way.

His falsetto laugh, prominent teeth and general aspect are rather
Rooseveltian. . . .

Mr. Chesterton, who is accompanied by Mrs. Chesterton, and who will
deliver a lecture soon in Boston on the Ignorance of the Educated,
said he did not expect to go further west than Chicago, since "having
seen both Jerusalem and Chicago, I think I shall have touched on the
extremes of civilization."

In the event he visited Omaha and Oklahoma City and went south as far
as Nashville, Tennessee.

Possibly Frances had thought she would pass unnoticed but in fact,
besides constant photographs of the pair, the lynx eye of the
interviewer was upon her as much as upon him. On arrival at New York:

He shook hands with some half-dozen Customs officials who welcomed
him to the city on their own behalf. The impression given by Mr.
Chesterton as he moved majestically along the pier or on the ship was
one of huge bulk. To the ordinary sized people on the pier he seem